1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fishing equipment which inherently resists freezing of the line and operating mechanisms when the ambient air is below freezing. More particularly, the instant device acquires its general functional aspects through use of an insulative dome, capable of acting as a reservoir of radiant heat, the purpose of which is to cover an ice fishing hole, thus maintaining above-freezing temperatures in the environs of the hole and the proximate operative fishing mechanisms.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Before commencing a discussion of the relevant art discovered by the applicant after an exhaustive patent search, a brief discussion concerning the art and techniques of ice fishing is in order. Unlike fair weather angling, ice fishing is generally performed in two modes and oftentimes under less than clement conditions. The two techniques or modes generally employed by the ice fishing angler are jigging and still fishing, by use of a fixed apparatus, most often a tip up mechanism. The term "tip up" is one of long time usage because in its earliest form, a portion of the apparatus which was actuated whenever a fish took the bait would be projected upward, carrying with it some form of invisible indicia to indicate to the angler that the apparatus was actuated or, more coloquially, "the trap was sprung". Whereas jigging involves merely the manipulation or "playing" of the fishing apparatus over a hole which has been bored into the ice, the tip up itself has taken on many forms over the years and is the subject of this instant teaching.
Irrespective of the actual embodiment or ornamentation peculiar to the discrete device, the actions of the angler rarely vary during practice with the tip up during any angling activity. Generally, after a hole is bored into the ice, a tip up mechanism, ranging from a simple crossed brace platform to a solid platform, is placed over the fishing hole. The basic operative mechanism, generally a reel, a sufficient amount of fishing line wound about the capstan of the reel mechanism and catchment means such as a barbed hook with suitable baiting thereon, is employed. The reel mechanism is placed on the platform integrally therewith, and is located beneath the water surface, between the water surface and the platform proper, or on the platform and/or substantially above it. In the instant discussion, we have need to concern ourselves with the platform means that substantially covers the hole and contains the operative (reel) mechanism therein, presenting substantially all of the operating mechanism between the surface of the water and the platform proper.
When a fish takes the bait presented by the tip up apparatus, a portion of the apparatus is actuated and the visual indicator, generally a flag type device, or a portion of a moving cross brace, is translated upward. Before the advent of the waving flag, the more primitive tip ups, (since they were nothing but crossed brace mechanisms), "teetered" the free end of the apparatus-containing brace upward; hence the "tip up" characteristic of the device's actuation would signal the angler of the actuation. Oftentimes, companion fishermen would shout "tip up" to also alert the angler to the fact. It was perhaps this shout that gave several intrepid inventors the idea of coupling the triggering mechanism to varying audio and visual devices. Nonetheless, in today's ice fishing art, there is a plethora of art disclosing "tip up" activation. Examples of the aforementioned art are seen in patents issued to Marsh in 1916 (U.S. Pat. No. 1,173,827) and to Stelmach in 1970 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,118) for the disclosure of novel mechanisms which also included visual means (an energized light bulb) of actuation. Notably in the Stelmach disclosure, the warning light is enshrouded by a conical shade which would most likely give one of ordinary skill the notion that, in place of a light bulb, a simple vibrating diaphragm with a circuit interrupter might be employed to effect an audio warning. In any case, the instant inventor would cut short this digression into tip up activation warning devices because, in the instant invention, he employs the conventional mechanisms such as a reflexing flag or energized light bulb alarms. It should be noted by the reader however, that the basic inventive concept and apparatus employed in the instant invention is readily adaptive to and receptive of numerous audio and visual alarm mechanisms.
When the angler is aroused by the actuation of a tip up, he or she must quickly move to the actuated mechanism and halt the playing out of fishing line. Numerous devices have been used over the years contained within the operative mechanism or at the catchment means, for setting the hook and thereby ensuring the catch. These devices notwithstanding, it is within the experience of the instant inventor to state his belief that more fish are lost due to ensnarement by the fisherman in his or her apparatus than by fish successfully absconding with the bait. For this reason, he believes that the more contrived the fishing apparatus, the greater the likelihood of losing the fish. He contends that the more antiquated aspects of ice fishing, which use the primitive tip up mechanism, are most suitable in the long run. In the pristine stages of its usage, the tip up was generally grasped and tugged directly upward with one hand while, concurrently, the other hand is brought about to securely grasp the line. Thereafter, the tip up mechanism proper is set (more often thrown) to one side and the line is rapidly retrieved in a hand-over-hand fashion until the fish is brought close enough to the hole to determine if it can be lifted directly out or if resort must be made to the gaff. After the catch is made and the hooks rebaited, the line is lowered back into the hole and the triggering mechanism reset as the excess line is "spooled on" to the reel and the tip up mechanism is represented over the hole. In the previously described melodrama, there are two points at which the traditional ice fishing mechanism, whether it be the more primitive or the more current type, can give the angler problems. Under freezing ambient conditions, and if the angler has been lax, the water in the hole may have frozen to some degree or completely; and, if the mechanism had been previously actuated so that it became wet, the entire operative mechanism may be frozen. It is obvious what kind of difficulties will follow from such a set of conditions. The second point, during the rebaiting and reposturing of the tip up over the hole, the entire mechanism may have frozen. Although most modern fishing lines or elements if frozen may be nonetheless respooled or rewound onto the reel, other incidents of the apparatus such as the rotatability of the reel, pivoting and actuation of the trigger mechanism and/or switches for audio/visual alarms will undoubtedly be frozen. Clearly, an invention that would, by its very nature, obviate all of the aforementioned problems would be of immense value to the ice fishing enthusiast. Thus, what is long sought after and fulfilled by the instant invention, is a non-freezing ice fishing apparatus that maintains an "open" ice fishing hole, and nonfreezing operative mechanism and ease of operation, including a facility for easy storage and transport of the mechanism onto and off of the ice. The latter trait is something that cannot obviously be added on to the invention; but rather, it is a trait which must be inherent in the mechanism's design. Such is the instant invention.
Relative to fishing hole coverings, either substantial or intoto, consider the previously mentioned patent issued to Marsh in 1916. Marsh set his mechanism (questionably a tip up mechanism) on top of a platform or board and projected portions of the catchment mechanism through a hole in the board down through the hole in the ice. The mechanism projected through the board comprised a tubular element which was the novel feature of the Marsh apparatus and from which the device's anti-freezing characteristic was derived. Marsh was silent as to whether the board provided an efficacious means of preventing ice hole freeze up; but such is understandable, since he avoided addressing that subject by providing an alternate apparatus which appeared to work well. An inherent disadvantage of the Marsh apparatus, and perhaps the reason why he employed the earlier mentioned visual indication means of alarm, was that the profile of the quiescent apparatus was extremely low. As any veteran fisherman will attest, low profiled fishing apparatus, on the ice, are more often than not lost in the white haze or covered by snow. The instant inventor has provided an easy to use mechanism that will prevent refreezing of the hole, prevent refreezing of wetted apparatus, continue after initial operation to provide reliable and responsive service and, in the event of light snow, present an adequate profile so that the angler may readily locate the device without having to rely upon actuation of the tip up feature.
Two patents that were very relevant to hole-covering, anti-freeze devices were those issued to Obernolte in 1959 (U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,784) and Johnson in 1981 (U.S. Pat. No. 53,262). Obernolte taught the use of a reeling mechanism, totally enclosed and contiguous with a bell or dome shaped base which has therein heat generating means. It is apparent from a close study of the Obernolte art that the reeling mechanism, for taking in and playing out the fishing line, is disposed at a comfortable level for the angler to stand before the hole and reel in the quarry without having to resort to removal of the tip up mechanism for hand-over-hand retrieval of the line. The stanchion on which the reel stands, and in which it is sealed, communicates with a dome shaped base that is placed directly over the ice fishing hole. Use of the invention, because of an internal heat-generating means (a candle), requires a stylistic shaping of the ice fishing hole, thus requiring the angler to use not only an ice bore but also some form of spud to cut out the stylized hole shape. That Obernolte's dome does not provide the retention of sufficient heat to maintain a significant amount of the apparatus free of ice and freeze ups is apparent, because he is forced to use auxiliary heat generating means. Further, it is questionable whether the stand-off posturing of the reel is the sole cause for the additional heat requirement. By using a dome shaped base, a hemisphere or one half of a sphere, Obernolte has selected a geometry that affords deminimus surface area and therefore has the least capability of any shape for absorbing radiant energy. Further, this geometry, having the least surface area, encompasses the least volume and thereby retains the smallest amount of air, heated or otherwise, over the ice fishing hole. It may be concluded that, as long as the candle or such heat generative means are employed, the Obernolte invention properly served the needs of its inventor. Further to the invention of Obernolte is the use of a girdling groove about the periphery of the base, which the inventor suggests may be used for the stowage of additional fishing line. Of course, in order to maximize the stowage volume the groove is made as close to the base margin (literally a great circle of the sphere) as practicable. With or without the embellishments presented in this invention, it cannot reasonably serve the needs of the instant inventor who has, as previously stated, the desire to provide a device that will act as a reservoir for the radiant energy that constantly bathes the device, the capacity for easy storage and portability and means for providing antifreeze facility to the operative mechanism, while allowing the angler to operate the entire mechanism in as close a manner to the early or primitive tip up fashion that has proven, over the years, to be so functional.
Final to this discussion of the relevant art, the patent issued to Johnson discloses an ice fishing tip up apparatus which includes a heated flotation member that can be described as bowl-like in structure. This, of course appears to be nothing more than an inversion of the Obernolte device, one of the references cited during the prosecution of the Johnson application. Quite notably, Johnson's apparatus, consisting in the hemispherical dome and vertical stanchion terminating with a reel mechanism, is as far from the instant inventor's art as it was from Obernolte's. In fact, to the incidents just mentioned, it bears a remarkable resemblance to Obernolte, save for the fact that it is totally inverted, that is, the reel mechanism is under water and the dome is, indeed, a bowl floating upon the water. That it is inserted into an ice fishing hole is the only truly relevant feature worthy of mention. It is interesting to note, however, that the Johnson device will prevent the freeze up of the ice fishing hole; but only because, for the most part, it obstructs the hole itself. The heating mechanism used by Johnson is that of combustible material ignited in the bottom of the aforementioned bowl. The instant inventor obviates all of these contrivances with a mechanism that shall be hereinafter disclosed in detail.